Month: March 2016

The annual Pear Blossom Run is right around the corner, April 9th. It’s, you know, the day where we all wake up ridiculously early and run in southern Oregon’s largest race so we have a (legitimate) reason to enjoy a beer at 11:00 in the morning. Or is that just us?

(photo: ujenafitclub.com)

Since at least a handful of us at Common Block are running (some people just can’t be lured out of bed at 6am, no matter what), we want to share some unscientific tips to help get you prepared for the big day. With less than three weeks to go we may be pushing it a little close to race day, but maybe some of these tips will give you just the boost you need to bite the bullet and commit to The Pear.

6 Unscientific Training Tips

Sign Up – Register online now! There’s nothing like officially signing up to get you motivated to start training. It’s already past the March 15th deadline to be guaranteed a 2016 Pear Blossom t-shirt, but they will still have limited availability at packet pick-up if you want commemorative proof to show your friends you actually did run.

Find Your Motivation – Everyone’s motivation is a little different when it comes to running. We take a cue from The Beer Runner: if you run for the day, you get to enjoy a beer. Run = Beer. No Run = No Beer. Simple. Of course, we’re biased for the reward. Some other ideas for motivation might be beating a personal record, racing a friend, enjoying fresh air, or getting a shiny medal at the finish (for the 5k and 10 mile races).

Pick a Training Guide – There are plenty of training guides online to get you ready for race day, like this one from Nike +. Browse around and choose one that you think best fits your training level and schedule. Luckily, most can be tailored to fit certain days of the week if your running opportunities are limited. We like having a guide, though, to help keep us on track when we feel like running just two miles and then stopping for a beer.

Get Friends/Partners Involved – Nothing gets us consistently moving like having running partners. You can organize runs through group texts, keep members motivated, and fit in some great social time. Encourage a friend to sign up and train with you, or join an established running group like Rogue Valley Runners (they host weekly Wednesday night trail runs). And may we suggest four-legged friends, too? Get your dog out and about, and then toss Fido an extra treat while you enjoy your post-run beverage.

Mix Up Your Routes – The Pear Blossom has some flats and some hills, so get ready to work different muscle groups. Vary your running routes by throwing in hills, trails, roads and the track. We know it can be hard to motivate your self to go out and climb hills on a run, but you’ll be glad you did come race day!

Follow Runners Online – Add inspiration to your feed! Scroll through great photos, learn about races, and get inspired by other people who love running. Our top five social media accounts by runners and running groups include:

No, we’re not referring to that one person you met that one time at that one party in college. We’re talking about two of our favorite things – beer and chocolate. Both. Together. As one.

The Oregon Chocolate Festival is coming up March 4th-6th at the Ashland Hills Hotel & Suites. Here you’ll find over 40 chocolatiers showing off their delicious cocoa creations for Southern Oregon to sample and indulge. They’ve also lined up a schedule chock-full of events, including three beer-themed pairing workshops during the weekend:

If you can’t make it (or even if you can, and still can’t get enough beer and chocolate in your life) try these beer + cocoa recipes we’re over-the-moon for, and add some sweetness to your home kitchen:

You can grab your tickets for the Oregon Chocolate Festival online or by swinging by the Ashland Hills Hotel. Tickets are available for individual days or weekend-long passes. We suggest buying them sooner rather than later, and giving yourself sweet, chocolate-induced motivation to power through the rest of your week. There’s chocolate and beer at the end, after all.

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ABOUT COMMON BLOCK

Common Block Brewing Company is an indoor-outdoor restaurant and brewery located in The Commons of downtown Medford, Oregon. The family-friendly brewpub welcomes guests for lunch, dinner, appetizers, dessert, beer with friends, and everything in-between.